DefinePK

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to assess the diagnostic value of the Mentzer Index and Red Cell Distribution Width Index (RDWI) in differentiating between Iron Deficiency Anaemia (IDA) and Beta-Thalassemia Trait (β-TT) in adult patients of a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.
Methodology: This cross-sectional study was carried out in the outpatient department of Medicine, Combined Military Hospital Rawalpindi from Jul 2024 to December 2024. The data were collected from 170 patients with microcytic anaemia aged >18 years with a confirmed diagnosis of IDA and β-TT. Haematological parameters, including haemoglobin, red blood cell (RBC) count, mean corpuscular volume (MCV), RDW, Mentzer Index, and RDWI, were calculated. Data was analysed using SPSS-25. The chi-square test was used to assess between variables. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy were calculated.
Results: The study population included 90 patients (52.9%) with IDA and 80 patients (47.1%) with β-TT. Our results demonstrated statistically significant differences between the IDA and β-TT groups for key diagnostic parameters. The results indicated that both indices have almost equal sensitivity (92%) while RDWI demonstrated higher specificity (89% vs. 80%). RDWI had a slightly higher diagnostic accuracy of 90% and the Mentzer Index 86%.
Conclusion: The Mentzer Index and RDWI are valuable screening tools for differentiating IDA from β-TT, especially in settings where advanced diagnostic methods are not available. Although significant differences between haematological parameters were seen in this study, further research with larger sample sizes is recommended to improve the diagnostic accuracy of these indices.